


Reunited

by SweemyClod



Category: Fire Emblem Series, Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Crying, Daddy Issues, Feels, Fire Emblem: Three Houses Blue Lions Route, Gen, M/M, Men Crying, No Spoilers if you've played a whole route, Post-Timeskip | War Phase (Fire Emblem: Three Houses), Psychological Trauma, i ship it but, you dont have to read it romantically
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-18
Updated: 2020-10-18
Packaged: 2021-03-08 19:35:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,686
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27072082
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SweemyClod/pseuds/SweemyClod
Summary: Ashe slowly moved forwards, careful of his surroundings. He kept light on his feet as he closed in his distance to his target, a skinny deer. How lucky he was to have found this target did not faze him as he knocked an arrow to his bow deftly, raising his weapon to a calculated angle that he knew would instantly kill. Ashe did not want the animal to die with any pain.Just as he was about to let the arrow fly, Ashe noticed an all too familiar light blue color moving in the distance. This ruined his focus and a small gasp escaped his lips.(This started as such a light fic but became so heavy. Just for fair warning)
Relationships: Caspar von Bergliez & Ashe Duran | Ashe Ubert, Caspar von Bergliez/Ashe Duran | Ashe Ubert
Kudos: 19
Collections: Fire Emblem: Three Houses by SweemyClod





	Reunited

Ashe slowly moved forwards, careful of his surroundings. He kept light on his feet as he closed in his distance to his target, a skinny deer. How lucky he was to have found this target did not faze him as he knocked an arrow to his bow deftly, raising his weapon to a calculated angle that he knew would instantly kill. Ashe did not want the animal to die with any pain.

Just as he was about to let the arrow fly, Ashe noticed an all too familiar light blue color moving in the distance. This ruined his focus and a small gasp escaped his lips. The deer looked up from the small patch of grass it was previously munching on, and began to scan for the source of the sound. It was trying to gauge whether running was necessary. 

Ashe refocused on the kill spot he had targeted before and quickly let the arrow go. It struck the animal, bringing it down quickly. Five years ago he would not have been able to make that quick readjustment.

Deciding to leave the deer for now, Ashe swiftly retrieved his arrow. After all, he was likely about to get some help from an old friend, and needed to catch up with him.

\---

Closing in quickly on the source of distant light blue, Ashe called out. “Caspar!”

The other turned, eyes hopeful, and locked on him. The biggest grin spread across his face. “Ashe!” 

The sniper slowed down to stand in front of his old friend. “Where have you been? And how did you get here? I know you joined the Imperial Army, but-” Ashe’s barrage of questions was stopped by a very tight bear hug from Caspar, who lifted him up. This received a surprised squawk from Ashe.

“It’s SO good to see you!” Caspar exclaimed, setting the sniper down a bit too roughly. The warrior paused, trying to recall Ashe’s many questions.

“Uh,” Caspar started, and put a hand to his head. “Yes, I was in the Imperial Army because of my father. But I slipped out of my father’s ranks to get here for the reunion we planned. Anyway, I’ve just been making my way here since I left! At first I was scared about being followed, but…” Another pause came as a difficult fact caught in his throat. He trusted Ashe. 

“I guess… my father just didn’t really care all too much about getting me back.”

Ashe’s face fell a bit. Count Bergliez was well known as an awful human being with a cold heart. It fell well in line that despite his son loving him enough to join his ranks out of the sake of kin that the Count wouldn’t care enough to try and win him back or even capture him. If Ashe had to wager, this was probably because Caspar to the Count wasn’t a priority due to his lack of a crest, and, at times, difficult nature. 

“I’m…” Ashe began, and his gaze lowered as some tears began to fall. He was quickly overwhelmed as it fully settled in that his best friend was back. It had been distressing him for quite some time that… they might come head to head in battle some day. And Ashe would have to be a good knight, loyal to his lord, Dimitri, and strike his friend down without hesitation. This had created many nightmares for him, and sleepless nights. “...So glad to see you, Caspar.” 

“Hey, d-don’t cry!” Caspar lightly stammered, approaching closer. Personally, he did not know how to deal with emotions. He was too spirited a person to let much get to him, and when a wave of depression hit he would either take it out in training or just throw a not-so private temper tantrum. For others, and this came from his experience five years ago at the monastery, he knew that sometimes the best remedy was to be there and try to lighten the mood. Most people didn’t want to punch their feelings out of themselves. “I’m so glad to see you too, buddy.”

Ashe nodded to this, tears still falling. He wiped at his eyes after shifting his bow to be strung around his back, freeing a hand. “I’m so sorry I’m crying. Heh, I know you hate that.” He said with a light laugh. Rather than mentioning his recurring nightmare about having to possibly kill Caspar as well as their fellow classmates, he decided it would be better to tell a white lie. “I just can’t believe your father didn’t care enough to go after you.”

“I don’t mind if my dad didn’t come after me. It… made everything easier to join you guys without getting chased.” Caspar responded with a mild frown. There was something odd about that response. It might have been five years, but Caspar was sure he still knew his best friend like the back of his hand. He was not divulging something.

“Were you… were you hunting?” Caspar asked, trying to make the conversation lighter as Ashe attempted to recover his emotional state.

Ashe smiled, wiping his eyes again. “Yeah. Remember the old days? You’d carry and I’d catch?”

Caspar had to laugh to himself as his tactic failed. Why was Ashe being so damn nostalgic? This was going to make his friend cry harder, if not himself. “Yes.” He answered carefully with a robotic nod. His small smile began to strain as he fought tears, but they started to leak out. Dammit.

Ashe slowly lowered into a crouch. Caspar’s face fell. The sniper began to cry harder. 

Oh boy.

"I just…” Ashe started, and was holding his hands to his eyes. He couldn’t hold this back from Caspar. He couldn’t hold this back any more. “I kept thinking about everyone. And how we’ll have to kill them regardless of knowing them, knowing their faces and struggles and who they are... You, Petra, Marianne… everyone we knew!” He was yelling now. He was letting it all out. He’d held back for five years. He was so sorry for Caspar, who was now crouched next to him and holding him lightly. 

Caspar’s tears fell through tightly shut eyes, his reservations on crying letting go. He completely understood what Ashe was going through. Sleepless nights due to nightmares of personally having to strike down a previous classmate under his father’s guidance… The guilt and fear was what forced him to leave. His decision had been one weighing on his mind the day of joining his father’s army, which in of itself was impulsive. Caspar didn’t know what to do when everything went to shit, and when his father’s men came to collect him from Garreg Mach after the invasion… he didn’t fight. 

After the invasion Caspar was in an emotionally numb state due to the trauma of the occurrence. He had issues with eating, with socializing like he’d never before. With time, he’d finally broken through and decided to keep the memory in a locked place he’d never return to mentally. Remembering this struggle, and his father’s wavering care, and in the present an understanding friend crying about something he too well understood, it finally broke Caspar down. It did not help that he was starving and dehydrated from making his way back to the monastery on his own empty pockets. 

“I-I’m so sorry...” Caspar gasped through crying. It came from nowhere.

“What?” His friend asked, eyes puffy and red. He was squinting harshly at the man who was gently holding him, a frown forming on his shaking lips. “T-There's nothing you have to be sorry about. You’ve done n-nothing wrong.”

Caspar opened his mouth and choked out a quiet sound. He was sorry for himself, he guessed. Deciding to shut up, he looked back down, tears continuing to fall. There just wasn’t much to say.

\---

They stayed as they were until a distant voice was heard. Ingrid was calling for Ashe, and pounded through the desolate forest on horseback. The sniper’s honed sense of hearing picked up her voice quickly, causing his eyes to reopen with urgency. He returned the call, choking on his yelled response. His body wasn’t ready for the plans his mind had set in place. 

“Ingrid!! Ingrid, I’ve got Caspar.” Ashe stood so quickly to yell, he caused Caspar to flinch, who had still been holding him gently with eyes closed.

The sound of pounding hooves came closer. Arriving in the small clearing, Ingrid got off of her horse quickly to approach on foot. Both concern and motherly anger was sparking between her steps. “Ashe! We thought you were d-” She stopped, realizing the mood did not need her critique. Ashe was standing, shaking slightly from clearly having cried so hard. Caspar, sitting, was in a similar shape. The warrior who Ingrid had come to dearly know as a brash and insufferable spirit looked like he’d been through hell and back. It hurt her to see in a way she didn’t think was possible.

Five years ago Ingrid wouldn’t have been so sensitive to those around her, especially Caspar. “N-Nevermind. Please, let’s get back to the monastery.” She said, trying to ignore an emotional chill running down her neck.

Ashe and Caspar had cried everything out. They were so tired. 

They nodded to respond, and with thank-yous, rejected Ingrid’s offer of a ride. The blonde cavalier mentioned Sylvain as well as Felix had gone out to search for Ashe, explaining she would find them to communicate everything was fine and call off the search. Leaving as quickly as she had come, Ingrid set off.

The two gave themselves a moment to further gather themselves before they finally left the clearing. Firstly, Ashe guided Caspar to the deer he had caught before. Uncharacteristically quiet and careful, Caspar picked up the deer like it was a longtime friend. 

\---

While walking back to the monastery, they were quiet for one another with the exception of directions from Ashe. As their time together went on, however, they settled back into their old wavelength, and mild chatting became very tired laughs and exchanged banter.


End file.
